A librarian found a copy of the original 'Star Wars' script, and it settles one of the biggest fan debates of the film

Lucasfilm screencap
It turns out the answer to a question that has puzzled "Star Wars" fans for decades was hidden in a Canadian library.

According to CBC— the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. — while trying to digitize the University of New Brunswick Library's science-fiction collection, librarian Kristian Brown stumbled upon an early draft of the "Star Wars" script.

The script, marked as a "fourth draft," is dated March 15, 1976, well ahead of the film's 1977 release.

The most striking revelation centers on one of the best-known scenes in the film.

While at the Cantina Bar, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is confronted by Jabba the Hutt's henchman, Greedo, who demands that Solo finally pay Jabba the money he owes him. The two of them exchange gunfire, and Solo emerges as victorious.

While that isn't disputed, the real debate lies in whether Solo or Greedo shot first.

This is the infamous duel:

LucasFilm via YouTube
It is difficult to tell who got the first shot in, and several updated versions of the film haven't helped to settle the debate. For instance, in the 1997 version, the scene was altered to make it look as if Han was acting in self-defense.

"I'll tell you one thing, right now," Brown told CBC, "based on the script, I can tell you 100%, Han shot first."

Some parts of the script did change before the final film. Among the differences, Luke Skywalker was originally named Luke Skykiller. The film itself was also called "Saga I." It would eventually go on to be called "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope."

"No matter how many new things are made, it all basically came from this first thing," Brown told CBC. "And it's just good to look back at the origins of the entire thing and not forget, you know, what came first."

Update: According to the AV Club, Lucasfilm says the script is most likely a "fan-made" replica. We'll update this post as we know more.